Champions Under Lights raises €40,000 in support of Dillon Quirke Foundation

The inaugural Champions Under Lights evening, hosted by Fethard Town Park on Saturday, 13 December and supported by Clonmel Credit Union, has raised in excess of €40,000 in support of the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

The Dillon Quirke Foundation supports heart screening services for young people and raises awareness of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) which takes an average of 100 young lives each year.

The event was established in honour of the late Dillon Quirke who collapsed and died of sudden adult death syndrome (SADS) on 5 August 2022 in Semple Stadium Thurles. Through Champions Under Lights, Fethard Town Park aims to raise much needed funds and to promote widespread cardiac screening for young people (aged 13-17) involved in sport. The foundation’s goal is to raise awareness of the need for cardiac screening to help prevent SADS. This can be achieved by funding cardiac screening in clubs all across Ireland.

The sold-out event welcomed 2,500 supporters at Fethard Town Park in Co Tipperary. Champions Under Lights included two encounters: All-Ireland senior football champions Kerry versus Tipperary, followed by All-Ireland senior hurling champions Tipperary against Limerick.

It was a competitive double-header, with Tipperary’s senior football and hurling teams defending their home turf. In the opening football contest, Kerry emerged victorious over Tipperary, securing a 2-15 to 1-15 win. The hurling encounter that followed proved equally gripping, as Tipperary edged Limerick by the narrowest of margins, finishing 1-21 to 0-23.

Tommy Sheehan, Manager, Fethard Town Park, said: “Champions Under Lights is a fantastic event that means so much to our community. Fethard Town Park in association with Coolmore, is delighted to have the opportunity to support the Dillon Quirke Foundation in this way with Clonmel Credit Union. We were thrilled to receive such encouragement and commitment from Tipperary, Kerry and Limerick GAA and from their amazing supporters who spent their Saturday with us.”

Dan Quirke, father of Dillon Quirke and founder of the Dillon Quirke Foundation, said: “We’re so thankful to everyone who supported the Champions Under Lights event and helped raise much needed funds for the Dillon Quirke Foundation. It’s brilliant to see continued support from the community for this vitally important cause and a source of great pride that it bears Dillon’s name.”

Padraig Enright, CEO, Clonmel Credit Union, said: “Champions Under Lights was a superb example of community spirit in action. At Clonmel Credit Union, we are delighted to support the Dillon Quirke Foundation and to see sport once again unite people behind such an important, life-saving cause.”

To support life-saving cardiac screening in sport, donate to the Dillon Quirke Foundation at https://www.dillonquirkefoundation.com/donate